Au Revoir aux confrères de Villepinte !

Last night I finished stuffing my two carry-on suitcases (down from four, a month ago!) and am heading to the Villepinte railway system (RER) to one of Paris' main train stations.  There, at the Gare du Nord, I'll board a train to my next destination, a bit over an hour north of Paris.  Amiens is most commonly known for having a (arguably the) splendid example of Europe's gothic architecture in its magnificent cathedral, Notre Dame d'Amiens.  This ville, along with our Vincentian mission house just minutes away from the train station, has been included in all of our ongoing education courses at our Paris Centre (C.I.F.) since 1994.  Still more important personally for me, Amiens is where Vincentian missioners have been associated since our beginnings in 1625.

I take my leave from Villepinte very, very grateful for the welcome and easy rhythm of common life with my Vincentian confreres here.  Of course, in France, we are still known as les Lazaristes, a term used first by Parisians to describe Vincent's missioners coming in and out of our historical mother house St. Lazare.  

From left to right:  Newly arrived P. Pierre HUNG NGUYEN, cm Vice Province of Vietnam; Henri, a friend of the CMs; P. Guillaume LEUKEUMO, cm; P. Gabriel ENDOM, CM -- both from Cameroun, a Region of the Province of France;  P. Mathew OCHUPARAMBIL, cm Province of North India.

The men pictured here above have given me much to think about as well.  Each manages to contribute to the ministry of the two mission* parishes -- St. Vincent de Paul and Notre Dame -- while continuing their studies or finishing an advanced degree for later teaching.  I've rarely seen a group of our own more in sync with each other, willing to help whether it's praying together, leading or participating in one of the three parish prayer centers, visiting the sick, celebrating funerals or eucharists during the week, or cooking, doing laundry, and cleaning up...   They and the two churches make up a vital parish community with impressive participation by the local residents.

Parishioners departing after the 11:00 Sunday Eucharist, L'Église Saint Vincent de Paul.
Young lady on the left could not stop beaming, having just been entrusted with a stature of Notre Dame de Lourdes.  She, along with her little sister and mother, will make heir home the neighborhood center of Marian devotion for this coming week.

I'm sure all of these takes some planning and coordination of who does what and when... but I certainly found the house to be a natural and fraternal atmosphere these past ten days.  Although we communicate with each other in French -- being in France (!) -- each man in the mission house speaks at least two other languages and as many as five.

They come from Cameroon, India and Vietnam, but they are the new faces of our worldwide Congregation of the Mission.

[* "Mission" here is used to indicate that this "mission house" has always been intended as a temporary commitment between the Congregation and the bishop, in this case, Bishop Pascal of the Diocese of Saint Denis, a very poor area in the northern suburbs north of Paris.]

Happy International Mother Language Day! (UNESCO)

Whether found in newspaper headlines or various forms of social media throughout the world (especially tweets these days!) we are quite occupied by the vexing experience of living in diverse communities.

Some of us seem to spend a great deal of time and resources "stemming the tide" or building walls, as if preparing for the next apocalypse.  

Others, while certainly aware of the difficulties, choose to learn how to communicate effectively and live gracefully in these new communities, even if this means considering new ways to educate ourselves and our children.

As one of the second group, I'm alert to efforts such as comes through UNESCO....  

Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education

"On the occasion of this Day, I launch an appeal for the potential of multilingual education to be acknowledged everywhere, in education and administrative systems, in cultural expressions and the media, cyberspace and trade.

"                                 

Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General   

UNESCO celebrates International Mother Language Day (IMLD) on February 21, 2017 under the theme “Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education”. To foster sustainable development, learners must have access to education in their mother tongue and in other languages. It is through the mastery of the first language or mother tongue that the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy are acquired. Local languages, especially minority and indigenous, transmit cultures, values and traditional knowledge, thus playing an important role in promoting sustainable futures.

What is multilingual education?

Multilingual education facilitates access to education while promoting equity for populations speaking minority and/or indigenous languages, especially girls and women:

1.            It emphasizes the quality of teaching and learning with a focus on understanding and creativity;
2.             It reinforces the cognitive aspect of learning by ensuring the direct application of learning outcomes to the learner’s life through the mother tongue
3.             It enhances dialogue and interaction between learner and teacher by allowing genuine communication from the beginning.
4.             It facilitates participation and action in society and gives access to new knowledge and cultural expressions, thus ensuring a harmonious interaction between the global and the local.

So, what have I done lately to consider new forms of education for new neighborhoods and communities?   (Just something to chew on this Tuesday....)

Life at Villepinte, France

Since arriving in France last week I’ve been welcomed by our gracious Vincentian confreres living in Villepinte.  This busy house serves as an alternative residence for our missioners who arrive from outside of France to study theology or do research, since it is a convenient 40 minute commute to the center of Paris.  Life is simple here at our rented apartment on Avenue Verdun, with three – soon to be four – other confreres.

The pastor and team moderator is Fr. Guillaume (from Cameroun) who sets the pastoral tone and is also busy as a provincial consultor and local superior.  Long-time housemate, Fr. Mathew (from the South Indian Province) is completing post graduate studies in spirituality), spends a good deal of his time and effort preparing meals for the rest of us and keeping supplies in order.  Fr. Gabriel (also from Cameroun), is another student and parish team member, and very soon the house will welcome Fr. Pierre (from Vietnam) who is beginning his language studies in preparation for advance theological studies. 

Sharing a delightful evening of Vespers and Eucharist with Villepinte Christians, February 15.

At Villepinte, our community prayer as Vincentian missioners is shared with parishioners.  For the most part, we celebrate weekday vespers and Eucharist during the evenings at three parish sites or along with neighbors at our tiny chapel (seating maybe a dozen or so).  Public prayer takes place alternatively at one of the three public prayer sites, St. Vincent de Paul church, Notre Dame church, and the Notre Dame Parish House, where the picture above was taken last night.  Attending weeknight vespers and mass are anywhere from a dozen to fifty people while the Sunday mass at each of the two parishes are often full.  People here are largely working class and immigrant, many born in African countries where French is one of the languages spoken.  Our neighborhood, where the confreres are fairly well known and welcome, is known for its rich mix of immigrant cultures and religions as well, including Muslims.

Villepinte is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 18.3 km (11.4 mi) from the center of Paris.  Population: 35,639.  Within about 20 minutes walking distance in one of the two parishes served by our men (St. Vincent de Paul) and about 40 minutes is the other (Our Lady of Lourdes)

So that you don’t feel obliged to google it, a commune, is the lowest, or base level of administrative division (self-governing) in France since being created at the beginning of the French Revolution (1789-1790).  Just to clear things up (or not!) both a village (up to 2000 inhabitants) and the ville (more than 2,000 in habitants) are communes.  

Before the commune, the most basic division of French territory was the parish (paroisse), essentially the church surrounded by the houses around it (village) and the cultivated land around the village.

Returning Home - It Takes Awhile...

Ah... to see the world!

Taking cues from image-rich advertisements and alluring invitations to shed the ordinary and embark on a change of scenery it would seem that traveling outside our home space and native culture would be pure adventure.  That's certainly the selling point!  In any case I've always yearned to see the world outside of my own childhood's backyard.  Joining the Congregation of the Mission provided that opportunity (among many other gifts and challenges!), even if it meant changing locations every few years, from Texas to California to Missouri to Illinois to Arkansas.  Still, this was modest when compared to leaving my home shores.....

I have often considered those eight years in the quiet northern rural "outback" of 1980's Guatemala as the pinnacle of my own "wanderlust."  That's where I learned the simple Spanish that I now use daily, and discovered a new-found respect for "cultures other than my own."  Indeed, much of who I am and what I can now see and understand began there.

But France, well... it's been different for me, ranging from long stretches of keenly felt personal isolation to an exciting formal introduction to the world-wide Congregation of the Mission and our even more expansive "Vincentian Family".

Paris Mother House, St Vincent de Paul Chapel:  CIF participants celebrate Eucharist in September, 2016.
At center back row is the French Provincial Christian Mauvais, CM, Sr. Kathleen Appler, (Mother General, FdlC),  and Fr. Tomaz Mavric, (Father General, CM).     (Blogger, Dan Borlik, is in front row, far right)

No doubt, by traveling and living abroad one can learn many things.  Gaining experience and developing new skills and friendships, however, are only part of personal growth and, even more specifically, of living abroad.  Since summer, 2011, when I began the "project" of  living and working in Paris, France, there was certainly the joy of discovery,  of adding new places and friendships.  But, surprisingly, what I felt more keenly, and what I'll remember most, is my struggle with loss.  Loss of a young man's professional self-assurance that comes along with many years developing habits and skill-sets in my home culture, loss of my parents and some friends, loss of my younger self's seemingly endless energy and optimism.

Now, carrying much less than what I once had, I embark on a gradual return journey to my home culture, where I hope to work and live for many more years.  The first part of that journey will take place here in Europe, mostly France and Italy.  I'm sharing the hospitality of my confreres, fellow members of the Congregation of the Mission, reading and reflecting, and hoping to learn to say a proper good-bye to one part of the world before I can really say hello to another.

Memories: Week III CIF 2014 Missionaries' Session

Saturday, May 10th, 2014

This day’s work continued to be guided by Fr  Maloney. Today we studied and compared strategies which could become instrumental in bringing about systematic change especially affecting the lives of people who live in poverty.  This was organized into four categories: 

I. Strategies oriented to mission; II. Strategies oriented to the people themselves; III. Strategies oriented to the problem; IV. Strategies oriented to co-responsibility and participation.

We used this afternoon for a general clean up of our common areas, and to explore the city. 

Monday, May 12th, 2014

We worked together today, the CIF directors along with all the participants.  Each missionary had been asked earlier to prepare two reports - oral and written – concerning his particular ministry and experience working within other cultures or along with others from diverse backgrounds.  We hoped that their written reports might provide material for a future article.  However, due to time limitations of our three weeks together, much of the day’s presentations had to do with the wider issues of our confreres’ provinces, their region’s challenges, successess, and plans for the future.  Work continued through the morning and afternoon sessions.

Photo: CIF group in the Salle Ozanam

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

In the morning, our guide was P. Bernard Massarini CM.  During the morning session he outlined critical Vincentian documents concerning evangelization and mission activity.  Above all he highlighted our own Constitutions, our Ration Missionum, and the final texts of our most recent General Assembly 2010. 

Photo: Fr. Dan Borlik introduces our presenter, Fr. Bernard Massarini (Province of Toulouse, France)

In the afternoon, we continued the tasks remaining from Monday, our participants reporting on their provinces, their works and experiences in mission. 

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

In the morning, our presenter, Marcelo Manimtim (past CIF Director, member of the Province of the Philippines) introduced a conference called « Transforming community living to Community for the Mission ». With references to previous conferences and in the history of the Congregation of the Mission, he showed the importance of how we live together in becoming a community for the mission. At the same time, he spoke about thos factors which assure commumity living in a correct way.

Photo: Fr. Marcelo Manimtim, Province of Philippines

This afternoon, all participants were invited to work in language groups to reflect on modifying or re-directing our current practices of life in a community in order to enhance our mission and efforts at evangelization. After this group work, all gathered in the Salle Ozanam to share our thinking.

On this day we were visited by our Superior General, Fr. Gregory Gay.  First of all, we enjoyed an informal conversation with him in work space (the Salle Ozanam) and then, later, during our “aperitifs” each of us had opportunity to speak personally with the Father General. Indeed, his visit with meant very much both to us personally in our understanding of this CIF program. 

Photo: CIF group with Fr. Gregory Gay, Superior General (Rome)

Thursday, May 15th, 2014

Our task today was, as previously requested, to reflect on our own formation in preparing  for the mission and our early experiences of support and development while in the mission fields.  Our work began with quiet, reflecting personally.  Then in language groups, we discussed what preparation seemed helpful for mission, those opportunities for training in the course of mission and finally, what we would recommend to our leaders for the future.

Before dinner, Fr. Elie Delplace (Provincial Visitor, Paris Province) and Fr. Philppe Lamblin (Provincial Econome, Paris Province) invited us to their newly refurbished headquarters, on the opposite side of the Maison Mère's building complex.  While enjoying aperitifs together, they showed us a precious and original book – still used to this day, listing those confreres (both ordained and lay brothers) who signed their names (along with their written vows) to the Congregation at the Maison Mère.  On the first page we were delighted to find the signature of St Vincent de Paul himself !

By the afternoon, we were back to work. The secretaries of each linguistic group reported to the wider group the results of the morning.

Friday, May 16th, 2014

Before midday, during a general meeting in the room of B. Ozanam, all participants assessed our session. Speeches were divided into three parties: what you appreciate most; can what be changed or ameliorated; recommendations for a future session. Meeting ended with practical information in departure of Paris.

The afternoon began with a cleaning of our complete area – all our common space, work spaces, corridors, etc.  Our goal, to bring back the halls and workrooms to their original splendor… or as close to it as possible!

Saturday, May 17th, 2014

Continuing our general cleaning,  we concentrated this morning on our personal quarters.  At 11:00 am we gathered in the large chapel of the Maison Mère. 

Photo:  Sharing the Eucharist in the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel

In front of the tomb of St Vincent we celebrated the Eucharist, giving thanks for our time together and concluding this session.

Photo: Vietnamese confreres sing a special hymn after Communion

In afternoon we began preparing the final feast. The team of cooks, on the direction of our CIF Director, Fr.Dan Borlik,  prepared delightful dishes. The feast began at 7:00 pm in our common room (the Salle Pouget) where we were joined by our distinguished guests :  the House Superior, Fr. Bernard Schoepfer,  the Provincial Archvist, Fr. Claude Lautissier, and one of the CIF founding Directors, Fr. John Rybolt. 

After dinner, every participant received a certificate of completion of this program. We would soon to part ways, which, in our case, would mean to all four corners of the globe, but we will not forget our time together here where Vincent de Paul started it all!

Photo: the 2014 CIF Missionary Session

Chronicle and Photos by the CIF Directors

Memories: Week II, CIF 2014 Missionaries' session

Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

Our long journey to southwestern France (the Landes region) began with a 6:00 am breakfast  Soon we were boarding our bus, leaving Paris at 7:00 am to arrive at Richelieu at 11:00 am.  There we were welcomed by Fr. Patrick Pouplin, the parish priest and representatives of the local parish community and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  Together we celebrated Mass, with our Assistant Director, Fr. Adam Bandura (Province of Poland) our presider and homilist.  After mass we had a picnic together. 

Photo: At Richelieu, sharing the midday meal with parishioners

We could not stay long, however, since we needed to arrive by nightfall at our next destination, the “Berceau” (birthplace) of our founder, Monsieur Vincent de Paul.

Photo:  Just a few steps away from the parish church and the old Vincentian buildings attached, are the remains of The Gardens of Richelieu

Sunday, May 4th, 2014

After our first of two nights at St. Joseph Hall in the Berceau, and an early "petit déjeuner" we made our first visit to the church in the village once called Pouy (now named after Vincent) where Vincent de Paul was baptized.

Photo:  St. Vincent de Paul Church – where Vincent was baptized

Our next stop was Our Lady’s shrine in Buglose, where we visited the parish church as well as the Chapel of Miracles, located on the expansive grounds behind the church. Our Director provided us with the story behind this shrine – well known even to Vincent and his family in the 1600's, as well describing our Congregation’s history and presence in this area.

After our midday meal we boarded our bus to Dax, there where we began our walking tour of this town famous from Roman times, to the Rue des Fusillés, where Vincent stayed as a young student, at family home of Monsieur Comet, his patron.  We then stopped in front of what had been the Bishop's palace but today is the town hall. We could only view the outside of the Cathedral of Saint Mary because it was closed in the afternoons. However, we were able to spend time at the hot springs in Dax and to enjoy the gardens and sculptures of the public arean of the city.   

Photo:  Refreshing ourselves at the hot thermal spring-waters of Dax

Nicely concluding our Sunday together was our concelebrated Mass within the Ranquines - Vincent’s childhood home, led by Fr. Samuel Rinley Foster (Honduran missioner of the Barcelona Province).

Photo:  Mass inside the Ranquines

Monday, May 5th, 2014

After our morning departure from the birthplace of our founder, Vincent de Paul, we stopped at nearby Tilh.   The newly ordained Vincent de Paul had been named as pastor there, although he was never able to successfully pursue his claim.  Nor were we able to visit the country church, it being closed this morning.  So we looked, took photos, and enjoyed the countryside.  Then we went to Bétharram - a place of pilgrimage, a baroque shrine of the XVIIth century, a jewel of Pyrenean art.  By noon we had arrived at Lourdes, to stay at a retreat center called the Centre Assomption, only a short walk away from the center of the Shrine dedicated to our Lady.

Photo: Our group of missionaries outside the Basilica at Lourdes

After lunch back at the Centre Assomption, many of us went to visit and to pray at the Grotto ; for the majority of our group this was our first and likely only opportunity to visit this famous center of prayer and healing.  We gathered for a 4:30 pm mass at the Basilica, where we had reserved the small chapel of Saint Ann.   

Photo: Mass in the Chapelle Ste Anne

Celebrating it principal was Fr. Antonio Carlos Da Silva Alves (Fortaleza Province, Brazil). After dinner, we joined the other pilgrims at Lourdes for traditional candle-lit evening procession.

Photo: Candlelit procession at Lourdes

Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

Immediately after our early breakfast, we departed from Lourdes, heading in the direction of Ars, over 700 km away.   But first we stopped at Tarbes to concelebrate Mass in the Cathedral where Saint-Vincent was ordained sub-deacon and deacon. Fr. Joaquín Nwaorgu (Province of Nigeria) presided and preached at our Mass, celebrated in English, Latin and Spanish. 

Photo: Our group of the missionaries after Mass at the cathedral in Tarbes

By early evening, after a long journey, we arrived at Ars-sur-Formans, a small village of Dombes known to the whole world thanks to saint Father Jean Mary Vianney, the 19th century "Curé D'Ars".

Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

Very early this morning many of us went to see the home of the Curé d' Ars and to pray once again in the Basilica next door. After breakfast, we went to Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, which at the time of Vincent de Paul was named Châtillon-des-Dombes. It was at Châtillon where Vincent de Paul first organized the first Confraternities of Charity, which later became known as the Ladies of Charity and today the International Association of Charity (AIC). This one, the first of its kind, began in reply to a dire need in the village. We celebrated mass in the chapel which  once had been the quarters of Vincent de Paul, whilst he was briefly the pastor here. Our principal celebrant and homilist today was Fr. Geowen Porcincula (Province of the Philippines).

After mass, guided by the Daughters of Charity who serve as docents here, we looked at a presentation on the events of Châtillon and visited the parish church.

Photo: Our group prays in what had been for Monsieur Vincent, his personal quarters as pastor of the parish of Châtillon-des-Dombes.

By early afternoon we had departed for our long return trip to Paris, with a picnic along the way.  To end our pilgrimage together we prepared and enjoyed a late supper in the Salle Pouget.

Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Fr. Dan Borlik began our day's work with a brief summary reflection of where we had visited these past few days along with highlighting our experiences these days of an "intercultural community."  He offered us an article we would study today in preparation for tomorrow’s conferences with Fr. Robert Maloney.

In the afternoon, everybody had an opportunity (and Metro tickets!) to discover Paris.

Friday, May 9th, 2014

Our presenter today had once served as our Superior General for 12 years – Fr. Robert Maloney.  During the morning sessions he explained the subject of  “horizon shifts” within Congregation in the course of last 40 years. Some of the examples were our new found understanding of the Vincentian Family, a change in our attitude towards people who live in poverty, and the new manner of service and administration in the Congregation.

Photo: Fr. Bob Maloney  (Eastern Province, United States) presents Systemic Change 

Fr Maloney's method this afternoon was story-telling, as he recounted numerous stories of systemic change in our time, beginning with the remarkable yet simple story of dramatic change in the region of San José de Ocoa in the Dominican Republic, in a hilly region of 100 small villages. Due to the lack of potable water was the root cause of many tragic difficulties such as infant mortality, unemployment, and a host of other social ills.  When one visiting member of the Society of St. VIncent de Paul began collaborating with the pastor and the residents to channel water down from the nearby mountains, village life was transformed.  Fr. Maloney underlined the essential strategies for Systemic Change. Happily we have begun to witness additional examples within the Vincentian Family such as Fr. Pedro Opeka in Madagascar and others in the Philippines, Kenya and elsewhere.

Chronicle and photos by the CIF Directors